Résidence St. Petersburg
About Us
Every member of the Résidence team is chosen for one quality above all others: the ability to care for someone else’s home as if it were their own.
Our leadership
Eric Argust, MBA
Principal & Property Director
Where Hospitality Meets Ownership
With a background spanning luxury hospitality, high-end real estate, and custom home construction, and a foundation in accounting and an MBA from the University of South Florida, I founded Résidence St. Petersburg to fill a gap no one else was addressing: professional, white-glove oversight for luxury condo owners who are away part of the year and expect their home to be perfect when they return.
A longtime downtown St. Petersburg resident, I have personally lived in many of the buildings Résidence now serves, giving me first-hand understanding of building culture, HOA dynamics, and the specific character of each property that simply cannot be learned from the outside.
Kristyna Surowiec
Partner & Director of Operations
The Golden Rule, Applied to Every Residence
Kristyna Surowiec brings to Résidence something that cannot be trained or credentialed: a genuine, instinctive care for the people and places she is entrusted with. As Partner and Director of Operations, she is responsible for the day-to-day execution of every client commitment, from inspection scheduling and vendor coordination to pre-arrival preparation and emergency response.
Her approach is rooted in something simple and rare: she treats every property as if it were her own. Not as a policy, not as a tagline, but as a genuinely held belief that shapes every decision she makes on behalf of a client. A St. Petersburg local, Kristyna knows this city the way only a true resident can, its neighborhoods, its buildings, its rhythms, and the people who call it home.
Kristyna has always lived by the golden rule, and it shows in the way she works: every home treated as her own, every client treated as a neighbor. In a city she genuinely loves, that standard isn’t something she has to think about. It’s simply who she is.
Chef Malyna Si
Director of Food & Beverage
Michelin-Starred Craft, In Your Home
Chef Malyna Si is the first and only female chef to lead a Michelin-starred restaurant in the state of Florida, helming Capa, the Spanish-influenced rooftop steakhouse at Four Seasons Resort Orlando. She rose from prep cook to executive chef without culinary school, through mentorship under luminaries including the late White House Executive Chef Walter Scheib, and stints at The Breakers, the Ritz-Carlton, and Gaylord Palms. It was during her first year as executive chef that Capa received its Michelin star.
In 2026, Chef Si was hand-picked by Padma Lakshmi to compete on America’s Culinary Cup (CBS / Paramount+), joining sixteen of the most decorated chefs in the country, cementing her standing among America’s culinary elite. As Director of Food & Beverage at Résidence, she oversees the culinary vision for our clients and is available for private hire within client residences. Rates upon request.
In an industry where fewer than 6% of Michelin-starred restaurants are led by women, Chef Si has not only earned that distinction but carried it with quiet authority. Her presence at Résidence reflects our belief that every detail of a client’s home, including what awaits them at the table, should meet the highest possible standard.
Cara Salinas
Travel Coordinator
Every Journey, Arranged to Standard
Cara Salinas brings to Résidence a breadth of knowledge that most travel professionals spend an entire career trying to accumulate. With deep roots in the Four Seasons organization and years of experience navigating the inner workings of the world’s most discerning hospitality brands, Cara understands the language of luxury travel not as an observer, but as someone who has lived and worked inside it.
Her career spans the full spectrum of five-star hospitality, from seamless airport transfers to securing the right suite at the right property at the right time of year, across Four Seasons, Aman, Rosewood, Belmond, and Auberge. As Travel Coordinator for Résidence, she handles ground transportation, private aviation coordination, hotel accommodations, restaurant reservations, and bespoke itinerary planning on behalf of clients, on short notice when needed.
Travel at this level is not about booking. It is about knowing which maison will make the exception, which transfer will actually be waiting, and which suite has the view that makes the rest of the trip. That is what Cara brings to every arrangement.
Credentials, coverage & how we operate
Florida Licensed CAM
Eric Argust holds a Florida Licensed Community Association Manager designation, giving Résidence an unmatched understanding of how luxury condo buildings operate. License verifiable at myfloridalicense.com.
$2M liability & $25K dishonesty bond
Résidence carries comprehensive professional liability coverage up to $2 million and a $25,000 Employee Dishonesty Bond. Certificates available upon request for any client, HOA board, or building management team.
Background-checked, NDA-bound
Every team member, service trade, and subcontractor undergoes a criminal background check and signs a comprehensive non-disclosure agreement before engaging with any client property.
Professional Home Watch Service
Résidence operates as a professional Home Watch service adhering to the highest standards of practice in the industry, including a strict code of ethics, continuing education, and professional conduct requirements.
Discretion above all
Your schedule, access information, and personal details are never discussed, referenced, or shared outside the direct service relationship, under any circumstances.
Quality over volume
We deliberately limit our client portfolio. Exceptional service is impossible at scale; we will never take on more clients than we can serve at the standard Résidence is known for.
Proactive, not reactive
Monthly inspections, seasonal maintenance checks, HVAC servicing, and system monitoring are designed to identify issues before they become expensive surprises discovered on arrival day.
A single point of contact
You will never speak to a call center or explain your property to someone who doesn’t know it. One dedicated property director is directly reachable by phone, email, or your private client portal at any time.
Florida Home Watch Association, Accredited Member
Résidence St. Petersburg holds active accreditation with the FHWA, the state’s professional body for qualified, ethical home watch providers, requiring compliance with established standards of practice, a code of professional ethics, and ongoing education requirements.
Where we serve
Résidence St. Petersburg serves a select number of clients across the city’s finest luxury addresses. We are active in the following buildings and communities, and accept a limited number of new clients each year.
Our commitment to every client
When you arrive
Your home is perfect, prepared, and waiting for you.
When you’re away
Your property is protected, monitored, and in good hands.
At every moment
Someone who genuinely cares is paying attention.
Ready to learn more?
Getting started begins with a private consultation, a conversation about your property, how you use it, and what peace of mind looks like for you.
Your residence, always ready.